Not Meant To Be
by glazedlookineyes101
Summary: Not an RA in case anyone's wondering. Ranma's in love with someone else. Who is it though?


Not Meant To Be

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½, though I wish I did so I'd be ridiculously rich and famous and all that.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

He sailed over the district, covered in bruises and cuts and an imprint of a fist on his cheek. "Oh man, what'd I do THIS time? Uncute tomboy," he muttered to himself. He looked down and saw many familiar buildings passing underneath him. "Akane's really pissed. I'm going farther than usual," Ranma commented to himself.

Soon his upward travel halted and he started descending towards the ground. "Oh man, I hope I don't fall in water again. I've changed three times already!" He looked around and saw where he's going to land. "This is gonna hurt!"

With a loud crash he landed for once not in water but on concrete, not that that's better. He groaned in pain. Even if he's been through this many times already it still hurt.

_We lead two different lives_

_Just like two lines that never cross_

He stayed in the crater he created for who knows how long, recovering slowly, until a shadow went over his inert form.

_And here we are together_

_Standing closer than we are_

_But we're still standing here untouched_

_Too scared to make a move._

He looked up, and there **she** stood.

There she stood, still beautiful, still graceful, her long, luxurious hair swaying in the wind, a takeout box in her left hand. She extended her hand and helped him out of the crater. She kept holding his hand as she led him towards their destination.

_We want so much to touch_

_And we can't wait forever_

_We know it's dangerous_

_For us to be together_

She took him into the building that served as her home. Miraculously no one else was there, the restaurant's other occupants out to who knows where. With the efficiency of someone who has done it many times before she had him sit down on a chair while she fetched the first aid kit.

_How do we ever keep this secret_

_How do we keep it in the dark_

_And if we dare to taste our weakness_

_How could we tear ourselves apart_

She cleaned and bandaged his wounds with a comforting smile on her face. He watched silently as she expertly treated him, her calloused but gentle hands upon his skin sending chills up his spine. Her eyes held love and affection, but also sadness and resignation as well. Even though he can't see it he knows he had the same look in his eyes.

_Why do we keep this love together_

_Didn't we know right from the start_

He remembered back to the time when he finally saw what he had been missing out on. It was right after the failed wedding and he had run away, run away to be alone and think…and grieve.

_That we would have to keep this secret_

_Or forever stay apart_

His Akane, the woman that he loved, the woman that he had killed for, the woman that he had screamed out to the heavens to return to him, blamed him for everything. It hurt more than any punch Ryoga or any of his other rivals had ever given him. She blamed him for ruining her wedding. Not their wedding, her wedding. She blamed him when it had been the others who destroyed the dojo. When it had been the others who destroyed his only cure. When it had been her own sister who invited them and smiled greedily as she watched the mayhem. When it had been his father's responsibility to deal with the other engagements, but had been too self-centered to do so and left it to his inexperienced hands. When…when he had been looking forward to saying "I do".

He was crying, berating myself for being unmanly, while under his favorite bridge. The weather matched his mood, pouring out gallons of water. Miraculously he made it there still male. He couldn't stand it anymore. His heart had shattered at her harsh words.

_I watch you coming to me_

_Walking in the pouring rain_

_I can't help looking at you_

_Wishing I could stay away_

Then **she** came. She carried an umbrella, protecting her from the rain as she walked towards him. Unlike their last meeting she did nothing but stand a few feet from him, watching him. She did not push him, did not leave even though he threatened to maim her (and meant it) if she stayed. She merely waited and kept him company. She didn't push, just gave her silent support. When he had been about to give her a mouthful he looked into her eyes.

They were open, welcoming, and understanding. She told him that she was not asking for anything, not demanding anything. All she wanted was to talk, really talk. She said it softly, pleadingly yet gently, with no demands or strings attached. All she wanted was to make him feel better, and apologize for treating him like a trophy to be won and coveted. It was such a big difference from how she usually acted that it got through to him.

_So many times I've tried in vain_

_To close my eyes and pray it goes away_

_But I can't stop myself from feeling_

_To let you go would be too much_

_For me to take_

That night they talked, really talked for the first time ever. There were no secrets, no hidden agendas, no macho pride that got in the way. That night barriers broke down and apologies went around. It had been a breakthrough for them.

_How do we ever keep this secret_

_How do we deep it in the dark_

_And if we dare to taste our weakness_

_How could we tear ourselves apart_

After that time things between them changed, though no one knew about it. When no one else was around they would talk softly and quietly about their day, exchange their life stories, give each other the support that others would not and did not give them. Both were honor bound to play their parts, and their conversations were the only time they could leave those responsibilities behind and just be **them**.

_Why do we keep this love together_

_Didn't we know right from the start_

_That we would have to keep this secret_

_Or forever stay apart_

No one knew of the times they met. Most of the time they met was when he got malleted by Akane or sent to LEO by the NWC or a challenger. She would bandage and treat him and give him words of encouragement. No one was the wiser, for often people assumed that he was too injured to get home quicker.

_I can't help thinking_

When I look into your eyes

_How much I need you_

_It's so hard to hide_

Slowly, oh so slowly, feelings developed. For both all they had was each other, even though they were surrounded by people whom 'loved and cared for them'. Those people though that they were proud, strong warriors and totally impregnable. But they're still human. They needed companionship, trust, understanding, and love just like everyone else. The two would never get those needs from their so-called "loved ones". The two of them were objects after all, bound by their honor to play their parts. Bound to suffer the fate life had given them.

Every time they talked, every time he came to her for treatment, comfort and encouragement their feelings grew. The more they learned of one another, REALLY learned, the more they seemed right together.

Akane's smiles came less and less, and his feelings for her became less and less as time passed. As his love for the uncute tomboy faded a new, even better and sweeter love grew for **her**.

_How do we ever keep this secret_

_How do we keep it in the dark_

_And if we dare to taste our weakness_

_How could we tear ourselves apart_

But they could not be together. Their honor was not the only thing separating them.

His mother stood between them.

Nodoka Saotome supported Akane's claim. If he doesn't marry her then he would be deemed unmanly. Then he would die. End of story. It was only his and Akane's stubbornness that kept them from being wed so soon.

_Why do we keep this love together_

_Didn't we know right from the start_

_That we would have to keep this secret_

_Or be doomed to stay apart_

Ranma stood up as she put the kit away. As always his bandages were expertly done. He looked into her eyes. He made sure they were alone before taking her into his arms and hugging her as if his life depended on it. He felt it did, and she too felt her life depended on this, this one hug. They didn't know how long they stayed like that, but eventually they separated.

He waved sadly to her as he left the building, walking backwards to look at her for as long as possible. If he stayed any longer people would start looking for him. "Thank you. I'll…I'll see you around." He didn't turn until he passed the door.

She waved back, wishing to take him into her arms and keep him from going. She wanted him to fill the space in her heart that's been empty all of her life. But she couldn't do it. "I love you," she whispered. With a sorrowful face and a heavy heart she went back inside. She can only hope, and pray, that that was not their last meeting. That one day they'll find a way to escape the roles life had given them.

He looked back as the door closed behind her. Why didn't he see it before it was too late? Her wonderful personality, her inner strength, her beauty; all out of his reach because he didn't give her a chance when he had the time to. She has qualities that none of his other fiancées have, and probably never will. But he can't be with her, for she was not a Tendo. He's honor bound to marry a Tendo, though he would rather face his worse opponents all over again than go through the horrors that's the two youngest Tendo sisters. "I love you too." With a regretful sigh he began his journey back to the Tendo Dojo, back to a place that did not have her beautiful, kind, understanding, loving soul.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The song is 'Secret' by Heart. I saw a Ranma music video featuring that song and loved it so much that I wrote this songfic using it. I hope everyone liked the fic. Please tell me if you liked it or not or if there're any mistakes.

At first I wanted the fic to have a surprise ending with Kaori being the girl. I purposely made it sound like the girl was either Shampoo or Ukyo, then at the end turn it around and put Kaori in there. All three have restaurants (Kaori SHOULD have a restaurant since she practices Martial Arts Takeout), all three are martial artists, and all three were supposed to marry Ranma.

Then I got to thinking why not end it with an open ended ending. I reread it and figured that it could have been Kaori, Shampoo or Ukyo that the fic described. So I did not give a name for the girl. Readers, please take whichever one is your favorite and think that it had been her that Ranma fell in love with. I hope it's for the best and I hoped you liked my fic!


End file.
